Graduate School Statement of Purpose Sample

How Important Is a Statement of Purpose for Graduate School?

Getting into graduate school is never going to be easier, their expectations are going to be high and the competition is going to be tough. Most of the other applicants are going to have grades and experiences that are at least as good as yours so you are going to have to ensure that you make yourself stand out from those other applicants. The easiest way to make yourself stand out is through writing a highly targeted and impressive statement of purpose that makes you memorable to those sitting on the selection panel.

How Can a Graduate School Statement of Purpose Sample Help You?

Searching online and within this site, you will find a graduate school statement of purpose example, in fact, you will likely find very many. Each, of course, is very different so how do they help you? Your statement of purpose has to be a very personal essay about you so just copying a graduate school statement of purpose sample will not help you as it will not be about either you or the course you are wanting to study. These samples, however, will help you to understand the style of writing that is required and the areas that you need to cover for a successful statement of purpose.

What Content Should Be in a Graduate School Statement of Purpose?

Source offerum.com

If you look at each graduate school statement of purpose sample you will quickly see that they on the whole try to address a few specific areas. The selection panel wants to see that you are both passionate about your subject and that you are going to be able to successfully study at their level. To this end your SOP needs to contain the following;

Your opening lines have to get the reader interested but don’t be overly dramatic as it will be seen as a ploy

Explain why you are interested in your subject area and how that interest has developed and grown

Show what has influenced you

Explain where your studies are going to take you to wither with regards to ongoing education or career

Show how you have the research skills required to cope with studies at this level

Explain why you want to study at this specific institution

How to write your graduate school statement of purpose

Just ensuring that you have covered everything that the panel is looking for is not going to be enough, your writing also has to be excellent and error free. Your statement of purpose must;

Flow from start to end

Be positive in nature (Don’t complain about previous studies or make excuses)

Use examples not just make statements to claim skills

Be truthful; you may be asked questions about what you write at your interview

Be free of any spelling or grammatical errors; ensure you proofread thoroughly